1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a control system, and particularly to a control system in which control signals are transmitted from a control station to effect control of a device at a controlled station.
2. Description of the Related Art
Control systems are required for a variety of complex vehicles including, for example, an airship, where the control station would by the pilot's location and the device to be controlled would be an elevator or a rudder located on a part of the airship remote from the control station.
Such systems are known for use in aircraft in which the control signals are transmitted in the form of coded light pulse signals over an optical fibre connection between the control stations and the device to be controlled, such systems having the advantage that they are relatively immune from electrical interference from stray signals, radio interference or lightning.
However, in prior art systems, the electrical power require at the device to be controlled for decoding and use of the light pulse signals and possibly for operation of the controlled device is supplied over electrical cables, and such cables present a risk in relation to lightning strikes, this being a particular risk in the case of airships. Thus there remains a need for an airship control system that does not incorporate an electrical cable providing power to the device to be controlled.